REVERE — Three men accused of kidnapping and assaulting a man over an alleged drug debt were arraigned in Chelsea District Court on Monday and held on high bail.
Revere Police responding to a 911 call on Sunday discovered a cache of weapons that included a machine gun, which led to three arrests — Daniel Ballantine, 24, and his brother, John Ballantine, 28, both of Revere, and Jasmin Tihic, 22, of East Boston, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
Police responded to the area of 96 Eastern Ave. after a 911 call for a disturbance. Although the line was disconnected, police got the location through the regional emergency communication center and found the victim, who appeared disoriented and had cuts to his face, prosecutors said.
The victim told police that he had been lured to Daniel Ballantine’s Eastern Avenue apartment, where he was held against his will by the three men. He reported that he was beaten with a hammer and baseball bat, and threatened with a machine gun equipped with a silencer over an alleged drug debt, prosecutors said.
The victim was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital.
Officers found a bag outside the building that contained six handguns, a large amount of ammunition, seven firearm magazines, and a MAC-10 with a silencer and high-capacity magazine that matched the description of the weapon used to threaten the victim.
John Ballantine was taken into custody outside the apartment, while Daniel Ballantine and Tihic were ordered to exit the apartment and were taken into custody.
Revere Police executed search warrants at Daniel Ballantine’s apartment and found four additional handguns, two assault rifles, upwards of 300 rounds of ammunition, more than three pounds of marijuana, more than six grams of cocaine, $94,000 in cash, multiple scales and cash counting machines, and other items associated with the illegal distribution of drugs.
Daniel Ballantine was arraigned on charges of 10 counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, 10 counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of possession of a large capacity magazine, two counts of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, kidnapping, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, Class B drug possession with intent to distribute, Class D drug possession with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm silencer.
John Ballantine and Tihic were each arraigned on charges of kidnapping, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a dangerous weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm during commission of a felony.
Judge Matthew Machera imposed a bail of $750,000 for Daniel Ballantine, and if that amount is posted, he ordered that Ballantine remain under house arrest and be subject to GPS monitoring, the DA’s office said.
Bail was set at $250,000 for John Ballantine and $200,000 for Tihic. Each were ordered to remain under house arrest and submit to GPS monitoring in the event that they post bail, the DA’s office said.
“I am extremely proud of the work by all involved and commend them for a job well done. I am very happy that we were able to remove these firearms and narcotics from the street,” Revere Police Chief James Guido said. “The Revere Police works hard every day to make Revere the great place that it is.”
“This is what we’re referring to when we talk of the nexus of guns, drugs, and violence,” Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said. “Fortunately, we can be certain that for every gun taken off the streets, we have prevented a future act of violence.”
All of the defendants return to court Sept. 11.
